Darker Side of the Bubbler
by Shadow-Assassin
Summary: My alternate scene idea for the Bubbler Episode when Nino goes to the Agreste mansion to beg Gabriel to change his mind about letting Adrien have a birthday party! What if Adrien wasn't so calm and collected about it? What if Adrien finally snapped? A little darker then the actual episode and kind of sad. Short but just trying to get back into the groove.


**Note: **I am making no money nor do I own the Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Thank you do Harmony Bennet for creating my lovely cover picture.

**Darker Side of the Bubbler**

"No, that's final. Adrien doesn't need a birthday party," Gabriel uttered, his hand up in a stop motion as he looked at the bespectacled boy calmly. Nino Lahiffe had come all the way to the Agreste mansion just to try to convince Adrien's father to give the poor boy a break and let him have a little bit of fun. It was the boy's birthday and he'd never actually really ever celebrated it. The boy was 13 for goodness sake. What kind of parent didn't let their child enjoy their birthday?

"That's messed up. Adrien's a good kid... He never screws up in class. He always does what you tell him. Photo-shoots, fencing, Chinese, piano..." Nino let out quickly, trying to explain. Adrien, of all people, deserved this. The kid was near perfect. He always did whatever his father wanted even if he didn't want to. It wasn't like Adrien wanted to be a model... he didn't necessarily want to practice piano or fencing or Chinese... he did it because it's what his father wanted.

"Nino, you're here?" came a voice from behind the other boy as Nino felt a hand on his shoulder. He grinned brightly as he turned his head to see Adrien's blond head of hair and bright emerald green eyes. Adrien seemed a little shocked to see him but there was a sweet smile on his face. He was thankful that his friend was at least trying. He didn't give up his hope though.

"Anything for my best bud," Nino let out with that bright smile on his face before turning back to Gabriel, "Show some awesomeness du... I mean, sir... please!" This just hurt, truth be told. Adrien was always calm and quiet and polite... just generally a nice guy and so obedient to his father. Why did he deserve to be treated this way? His father had to give in.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Nino, "I said no... that's final... Adrien is going to stay here where he belongs and you are going to leave," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and staring the boy down. He wasn't going to let his son just go traipsing around all over town, let alone, with a bunch of trouble-making teenagers.

"Forget about it Nino... It's fine... Face it... I just don't deserve something like that... I'm not important... My existence doesn't warrant that kind of attention... Especially the anniversary of my birth... Now if you'll excuse me... I'm going to go up and do my homework and pretend this day in history never happened..." Adrien grumbled out as he moved to walk up the steps and past his father.

Nino's heart lept in his chest at the other boy's words as Adrien let his hand fall from his shoulder as the boy started walking away. Had Adrien just basically wished he'd never been born? Did he really want to pretend he didn't exist? If he wasn't already furious, he certainly was now.

Gabriel, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes at his son and moved to grab the blond boy by the arm, "Adrien! Stop being selfish! The world doesn't revolve around you! I did not raise you to be like this! Apologize now and then go to your room!" he let out to the boy, "I'm doing this for your own good! Can't you see that? I'm protecting you!"

"Don't touch me and don't pretend you care! I'm not stupid and I'm not apologizing! All I've ever been to you is a manniquin... I'm done with that... I'm not some doll to be dressed up and I'm not some pet to be paraded around and told to sit, heel and roll over!" Adrien snapped at his father as he yanked his arm away, fury in the emerald depths of his eyes like Gabriel had never seen before as the boy looked away and continued ascending the staircase.

"Get back here!" Gabriel called after the boy, turning to follow him. He was angry with the boy, and he felt just somewhat guilty as well. Didn't Adrien understand that everything he did was for him? He worked day and night to make a life for them... to give the boy everything he could possibly ask for so long as whatever it was didn't endanger him. Not to mention he was working every day to bring back the boy's mother... even if he couldn't tell him that.

Nino narrowed his eyes and all but snarled, "Let him go... it isn't like you need him right now anyway! It's not like you're going to do something with him! Like celebrate his birth! You just let him sit in that room all day unless he's catering to your whims of those lovely Chinese lessons, piano lessons, modeling gigs and fencing lessons. If you're not going to bother paying even a bit of positive attention to your own kid on his birthday, the least you can do is leave him alone! He doesn't need your negative vibes, dude."

Nino took a breath after this before shaking his head, "Geez... if you expect Adrien to do whatever you want but you won't even give him a small reward like letting him celebrate his own birthday... how long do you expect he's going to listen to you? If he gets treated badly whether he's good or bad then why should he waste his time and energy doing what you want when he can do what he wants and get treated the same way anyway?"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and he turned towards the other boy, Adrien long gone by now. He all but glared at Nino as he pointed to the door, "Get out. You're a terrible influence on my son. I don't want to see you near him or our property ever again. Adrien will be cutting all ties with you. Nathalie... escort this miscreant out immediately."

Nathalie, a little flustered with all of this, nodded quickly as he moved to usher Nino out, "Yes sir... This way..." she said, hand on the boy's back as she guided him towards the door. She opened the door and made sure Nino left the property, uttering a calm, "goodbye," before she turned to go back inside.

By the time she got back in, Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. She sighed softly and shook her head, frowning. This family was in such dire shape. She wished there was more she could do... She wished Gabriel would just... stop... but she'd made a promise and she would do everything in her power to help him achieve his goal. She just prayed that no one got seriously hurt in the process... especially Adrien and Gabriel.

Adrien, meanwhile, was in his room sobbing, curled up on his bed. Plagg floated over him with a frown, black ears drooping, "come on kid... forget about it. You and me can celebrate on our own. See... a present for you! I wrapped it and everything!" he said, presenting another piece of his smelly cheese to the boy.

Adrien frowned as he lifted his head, "Plagg... that stuff is gross... seriously... I don't want it..." he sighed though and smiled weakly, "I know... it's just a stupid day... it's not really that important... but still... I just. Sometimes I think he just doesn't even care anymore. Watch... he'll probably give me another stupid pen as a gift... if I get anything that is... It isn't the gift that matters anyway. He didn't even wish me a Happy Birthday..."

Plagg frowned and moved to hug the boy's cheek, "If you tell anyone I did this, I will deny it..." he said before he purred softly, "It'll be ok... promise! We'll get through this together. I'm with you, always. Right here by your side... or at least in your bag," he winked.

Adrien chuckled weakly but nodded, "I know... Thanks for being with me, Plagg... I don't know how I managed without you," he said, hugging the small Kwami. Plagg was his best friend, really... besides Nino. He always knew that Plagg was there when he wasn't feeling well. It gave him comfort even if the other wasn't the best at all that 'sappy feeling stuff'.

While this was going on, Gabriel was elsewhere, surrounded by beautiful white butterflies. He grinned darkly as he looked to his own Kwami, "Nooroo... Dark Wings Rise!" he uttered, transforming into Hawkmoth before looking out as the butterfly themed window opened and a smirk graced his lips.

"I feel it... the darkness. It's perfect... This boy... Desperate to help his friend but feeling powerless... how frustrating. It won't be long before frustration turns to anger!" With that, Hawkmoth held his hand out, waiting for a butterfly to land on it as he brought his other hand over top, a black energy entered it, turning it black.

"Fly away my little Akuma and evilize him!"

**Note:** Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this short story. If you could leave me a review, that would be great. Reviews inspire me to write more. =^-^= It doesn't have to be long. Just knowing you enjoyed it is enough. Constructive criticism is always welcome as well.


End file.
